


Ashes

by Ilyich_cenin



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Fogclan is better than Starclan 2kforever, Non-Canon Clans, Non-Canon Starclan, Salmonblossom screaming 24/7, Tws will be updated with each chapter, death by fire, tuesday updates, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-08-10 22:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16463771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilyich_cenin/pseuds/Ilyich_cenin
Summary: Hearts are growing restless. It has been three generations since the great fire that burned Cinderclan out of their forest. Those that survived found themselves at the mercy of the other clans and even now still face distrust for the ash in their bloodlines. Poplarstar of Slateclan has denied all cats the right to go into the regrowing forest to their south. Riverstar of Pineclan stands ready to pilfer the now prey heavy forest across the lake. Rootstar of Meadowclan seems to have a plan if the whispers to the west were at all true. Yet, within Slateclan's own camp a family whispers their own rumors; reaching out to their kin in other clans. Salmonblossom is ready for the end of this. Cinderclan was alive, trapped within the other three clans but not for much longer. The forest was calling for them and she was ready to light the spark.





	1. Allegiances

Slateclan 

**Leader:**

Poplarstar- small gray tabby cat with a thickly furred tail; yellow eyes

 

**Deputy:**

Strawberryfoot- long-legged pale ginger molly with green eyes and small paws

 

**Medicine Cat:**

Swiftnose- white tom with black patches; yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Bluebellpaw_

 

**Warriors:**

Elktail- long legged brown molly with large white patches

Dustclaw- pale brown tabby tom with green eyes

Cavefoot- large gray tabby tom with wide yellow eyes 

_Apprentice, Stormpaw_

Ratwhisker- sleek ginger tabby molly with green eyes

_Apprentice, Chubpaw_

Snakeheart- smoky black cat with dark thick stripes; yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Stagpaw_

Falcontail- pale brown tom with dark thick stripes; yellow eyes

Salmonblossom- pale molly with dark thick stripes; blue eyes

Beefang- white molly with ginger tabby patches 

Mousefrost- pale brown tabby molly with a white underbelly

Emberfur- ginger tabby tom with small white paws 

Blizzardpelt- solid white molly with gray markings on her head; yellow eyes 

Wolfwhisker- smoky black molly with darker stripe and a pale underbelly; yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Sunpaw_

Clayface- pale molly with darker stripes and a distinctive brown nose

 

**Apprentices:**

Bluebellpaw – small white tom with gray tabby patches

Chubpaw - brown tabby tom with dark thick stripes; yellow eyes

Stagpaw – brown tabby molly with large yellow eyes

Sunpaw – ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Stormpaw – gray tabby molly with green eyes

 

**Queens:**

Thunderheart – large solid gray molly with amber eyes (Lichenkit, Dawnkit, Juniperkit & Rosekit’s mother)

 

**Elders:**

Orangeclaw – bright ginger tabby tom with blue eyes

Riverwhisker – ragged looking dark gray tabby molly

Lionclaw – pale brown tabby molly with large shoulders 

Brightnose- ginger tabby cat with thick russet stripes that are darker on their back

\--

 

Pineclan 

**Leader:**

Riverstar- massive blue-gray molly with thick fur; amber eyes 

_Apprentice, Duckpaw_

 

**Deputy:**

Embertail- ginger tom with a darker tail; amber eyes

_Apprentice, Coyotepaw_

 

**Medicine Cat:**

Prairieleaf- tortoiseshell cat with large pale ginger patches; yellow eyes  

 

**Warriors:**

Spruceclaw- dark brown tabby molly with distinctive white patches 

Pinestripe- brown-and-white molly with thick black stripes

_Apprentice, Deerpaw_

Aspenheart- golden brown tabby tom with a crooked tail tip

Birchstripe- pale brown tabby molly with a streak of white up her muzzle

Juniperclaw- jet black tom with yellow eyes 

Bearcloud- dark brown tabby molly with a distinctive dorsal stripe

Ravennose- jet black cat with large ears and yellow eyes

Leafblossom- golden tortoiseshell molly with a white underbelly and muzzle

_Apprentice, Berrypaw_

Iceflower- white molly with yellow eyes 

Skyfang- pale silver tom with large shoulders and paws; blue eye, partially deaf 

Mountainstripe- massive gray tabby molly with large white patches

Finchstep- brown tabby tom with thick markings and a white muzzle; blue eyes

Lionstorm- golden brown tabby molly with thick markings and a white muzzle; blue eyes

Spottedpelt- white tom with small dark gray brown patches

_Apprentice, Otterpaw_

Whiteclaw- large white molly with a crooked tail tip

 

**Apprentices:**

Duckpaw- dark brown tabby molly with large paws

Berrypaw- black and white tom with yellow eyes

Coyotepaw- black molly with overly large canines

Deerpaw- brown tom with white paws

Otterpaw- golden brown molly with a white chest

 

**Queens:**

Quailtail- solid brown molly with a white underbelly 

Stormface- pretty gray tabby molly with large amber eyes (Reedkit and Stormkit)

Applestripe- tawny tabby molly with white paws; blue eyes (Tawnykit, Poppykit and Hollykit’s mother)

 

**Elders:**

Shadowclaw – jet black molly with small paws

Lizardtail – tawny tom with a white tail that’s broken in multiple places and a twisted front leg 

\--

 

Meadowclan 

**Leader:**

Rootstar- dusty-brown tabby tom with windblown fur; amber eyes 

 

**Deputy:**

Pantherheart- tawny and white molly with large claws; yellow eyes

 

**Medicine Cats:**

Granitewhisker- pale gray tabby molly with thick scars along her haunches; yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Harestep_

 

**Warriors:**

Duskheart- gray-brown tabby tom with a white underbelly

_Apprentice, Batpaw_

Mossfoot- gray tortoiseshell molly with a single white patch on her chest

Lightningclaw- gray tabby cat with distinctive dark stripes; yellow eyes 

Boulderstripe- dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

_Apprentice, Swallowpaw_

Wolfstride- gray tabby tom with amber eyes 

Horsetail- brown tabby molly with a white underbelly

_Apprentice, Rabbitpaw_

Scrubwhisker- golden tabby molly with thick dark stripes; blue eyes

Foxpelt- ginger tom with paler paws and belly 

Grassstripe- golden brown tabby molly with yellow eyes

Lavenderfoot- pale tawny tom with a white underbelly

Dapplestripe- tabby calico molly with a white chest and muzzle

Blackberryclaw- smoky black tom with barely visible stripes; amber eyes

Heathernose- golden brown tabby molly with blue eyes

_Apprentice, Buffalopaw_

Tallear- small brown tabby tom with large ears

 

**Apprentice:**

Harestep- brown tabby cat with long legs; amber eyes

Batpaw- tawny tabby tom with a paler belly

Buffalopaw- golden brown tabby molly with a white underbelly

Rabbitpaw- golden brown tabby molly with paler paws

Swallowpaw- brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

 

**Queens:**

Rockwhisker- grey tabby molly with an aged silver muzzle

Berryflower- tabby tortoiseshell molly with large white patches; amber eyes (Breezekit, Larkkit, Hawkkit, Ashkit and Brushkit’s mother)

Gopherwhisker- golden brown molly with wide green eyes (Foxkit, Raspberrykit, and Pebblekit)

Molefoot- black molly with a sleek white spotted muzzle (Robinkit, Mousekit, Bunnykit, and Hootkit)

 

**Elders:**

Rookwhisker- dark brown tabby tom with large white patches; muzzle silver with age

Coyoteleg- golden brown tabby molly with a missing front leg and large white patches 

\--

 

 

 

Ancient CinderClan 

 

**Leader:**

Lightningstar- dark tabby molly with large yellow eyes

 

**Deputy:**

Goosetail- gray-brown tom with dark stripes

 

**Medicine cat:**

Feathershine- pale tortoiseshell molly with tabby patches


	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so we begin! Thanks for taking the time to check Ashes out and I hope you enjoy! This is the first update and y'all can expect us to be sticking to a tight tuesday night update.
> 
> TW's AS FOLLOWS  
> death by fire, burns, smoke inhalation and mentions of kittens nursing. If anyone needs anything else tagged please feel free to let me know.

Sharp blue eyes burned through the smoke, a single form rushing to do what he must as fire ravaged everything he had ever known. The powerful grey tom lunged, paws hitting the safety of rock as he looked for a safe route back to his clan. Fire had never laid its hungry fingers into Cinderclan’s sanctuary. Not once and yet, here it was starved and ready to lay claim to every piece of freshkill it could find. Fear pounded a rhythm in the tom’s heart but he could not turn and follow the cats that had managed to break free from the burning fangs.

Goosetail rose to his full height, teeth parting as he yowled into the clearing in front of him. The trees were aflame, the colors dancing viciously in the dark moonless night. Smoke clogged everything and he needed a plan. _There were cats trapped in their dens_ , he thought desperately smoke stung eyes seeking something. Anything. When Lightningstar had made him deputy he had sworn to do whatever it took to protect his family. He would do his duty, whatever the personal cost and- There!

Movement, in the smoke.

The massive shape and burning golden eyes told Goosetail all he needed to know. Lightninstar stared up at him, her eyes narrowed into the smoke as the winds roared with the flame leaping everywhere. Oh dear Fogclan it was everywhere, hungry teeth burrowing into the trees with burning desire. The night fog had been burnt away by the heat that Goosetail could feel relentless as summer sun all over his pelt. Fogclan had no eyes here now, the fire had eaten that away too. Bracing himself on the rock underpaw Goosetail dropped his body into a crouch, preparing to leap down to meet his old mentor and her burning gaze.

“Stay where you are Deputy!”

Her voice boomed, even over the roar of flame. Goosetail could feel the command in the vibration of her voice. Claws digging into the rock, the tom cat lowered his head sharply. Was she expecting him to leave her here? To leave the cats trapped? Smoke bit painfully at his eyes; scrubbed the scent out of his nose and mouth. Lightningstar did not break her stance. Did not break eye contact. Goosetail knew what she was asking of him, but he could not move his paws. To leave his leader? It was blasphemy.

“You are to take them to the other clans!”

Her voice slammed into his eardrums, ruptured his shock and shook the horror from his limbs. The wind had changed he noted, tail shuddering in realization. The camp would be overtaken in a second. Lightningstar stepped forward sharply, teeth bared and Goosetail refocused from their silent conversation to see the cat she had just shoved forward. The other tom’s white pelt was stained so dark Goosetail almost didn’t recognize him. Cloudnose! Lightningstar gave her nephew another hard shove; he was coughing badly, paws barely underneath him.

Goosetail leapt into action rushing for the edge of the camp now; eyes focused solely on the agony in Cloudnose’s pinched expression. He had to get the young warrior away from the brambles before the fire found them. Before-

The wind _roared_ the force of it almost knocking the running tom off his paws. He would not leave this young warrior to his death, Goosetail thought firmly, claws unsheathed to hasten his pace. Lightningstar had commanded and he would do as she said.She had made her choice and Cinderclan needed him now, to lead them out of the smoke clouding them all now.

His whiskers were burnt, he realized as he almost collided with the soot coated warrior. Nevermind- He scrambled sinking his teeth into the weak warrior’s scruff, hauling him forward as fast as they could both manage. Heat pounded all around him, but Goosetail felt the moment the brambles lit in the darkness. He didn’t need to see the orange light coating everything to know what was happening. Goodbye Lightningstar, his heart cried out in agony. A weaker warrior may have looked back, tried to see something in the inferno but Goosetail knew what it would do to his heart.

Gritting his teeth in the gritty clogged scruff in his jaws he increased his pace.

Voices echoed, panicked through the smoke and Goosetail shouted back as well as he could, his throat rough with smoke. Forms moved, some unable to come to him for the flames devouring their way through the wood the heavy wind helping them find their way to their prey. He roared over the hunter around them, telling them to head for the borders. A shape broke from the darkness, voice already crying out and Goosetail felt his heart soar as his own voice died out. Thank you Fogclan, he all but sobbed taking this moment to be selfish. A grey shape rushed forward, Smokestripe.

Smokestripe didn’t pause, ducking under Cloudnose’s collapsing body to heave the smaller warrior onto her shoulders. His kit looked behind herself sharply before hurrying forward, the stumbling party making their way towards the river. “Father-” The silver tabby’s voice shook her throat too clogged with the hot ash to make more than a warble. “Father, where is mother... Minnownose and Streamwhisker?” Goosetail’s heart went cold but he did not allow the pain to settle yet. He had a duty.

Fog whispered around his paws, obscuring them from view as the party tumbled out of the forest slate beginning to shift under their paws. Cloudnose coughed terribly from Smokestripe’s wide shoulders but they did not stop moving as the smoke curled away from their bodies icy fog curling around their legs instead. Fogclan was with them now their cooling tongues grooming the agony out of their limbs. Goosetail took some comfort in that in something else to focus on. Other cats stood still as stone, wide eyes staring back at them in the darkness from the water’s edge. Soot coated all of them but injuries curled over others, pelts eaten in places by starving ember.

Goosetail shook away his own pain, seeing shared agony in his clan mate’s faces. The tabby stood beside his daughter and raised his chin. Whatever he must do now, his clan had been placed into his paws and this was his duty.The tom limped forward, only just now realizing that his front paw pads seemed sticky and hot. Had he stepped in cinder in his rush to pull Cloudnose from the brambles? Nevermind, he thought sharply pushing his pain away roughly.

Raising his soot covered head the deputy parted his jaws and-

 

“He called out to Fogclan!” A tiny voice shrieked.

Salmonblossom paused, jaw hanging open as she slowly lowered her raised paw. Wide amber eyes stared up at her, the dark coat all about it fluffed up with kitten down and excitement. Purring the pale queen dropped her head to nuzzle lovingly into the fluffball at her belly. “Yes my love he called out to Fogclan and-”

“Do you _mind_?”

It took everything she had not to snap back at the ginger queen behind her, fur ruffling up. No in fact, she didn’t mind one little bit. Choosing to ignore Ratwhisker’s terrible tongue instead of rising to the bait Salmonblossom gave her little black kit a playful nudge. “Do you know the rest of the story Wolfkit?”

“She best.” Ratwhisker complained loudly behind Salmonblossom’s curled body. “You tell it often enough!” Sneezing in contempt the smaller molly dropped her head over her own kitten’s as if to block them from the stories despite their ears not yet being open. Again, Salmonblossom had to close her blue eyes and concentrate on how much fun it would be when Ratwhisker was trapped in this den for four more months and she wasn’t.

“I do!” Wolfkit agreed rapidly, not at all phased by Ratwhisker’s nasty tone. “Claykit does too, right?” Her excited wide eyes turned to the smaller cream kitten beside her. Claykit, for her part wrinkled up her brown nose and looked deeply concerned. She had always been frightened by the stories of her great-grandfather, Salmonblossom worried, somewhat chastised. Maybe she had been to bold in her story telling.

“Um-” Claykit squeeked, ducking her head into her mother’s warm milk heavy belly. “Why don’t you tell it Wolfkit?” She offered, sounding very much like her uncle as she desperately avoided disappointing her completely unaware sister. Salmonblossom fretted over that for a moment, watching the two kittens as Wolfkit started all but vibrating in excitement. Maybe she should be listening to Ratwhisker a bit more-

“Goosetail called out to Fogclan and the fog parted!” Wolfkit cried out, leaping to her tiny paws and throwing moss and feathers into the air in her haste. Half of Salmonblossom expected Ratwhisker to say something cold but the other queen never had a poor word to say to the kittens. She had that going for her at least.

Not that Ratwhisker did anything to stop the low snort that slid out of her and this time with her kitten’s emotions on the line Salmonblossom turned a hard glare on the other molly. Ratwhisker’s back was firmly towards her though, and the tabby molly had to take solace in burning holes in the other’s pelt with her eyes.

Wolfkit looked particularly dark in the nursery with the tightly woven brambles holding out the starlight and rain alike. Her cream undertones all but hidden under her smokey stripes, and she was looking very much like her father right now. The thought brought almost as much love into her stomach as Wolfkit’s wide joyful face. To think she had been so very frightened of having her first litter. Even Claykit sat back up a little bit to watch her sister though she stayed cuddled into her mother’s side.

“Fogclan showed Slateclan’s warriors to Goosetail and thats how we got here!” Wolfkit went on all but trembling. She was a lover of stories and histories, Salmonblossom thought fondly. Ratwhisker may hate these stories but she never had anything poor to say when Wolfkit cried out victoriously telling _Slateclan_ stories. “Cinderclan had to go to the other clans when the fire ate up everything in our old home.” She went on and Salmonblossom didn’t miss the annoyed huff Ratwhisker let out behind her. The tabby molly swept her thick tail up behind the excitable kit, throwing another heated glare over her shoulder.

“But one day we’ll- Mommy are you okay?” Salmonblossom jumped, caught red-pawed acting like an apprentice by her own kit. Looking back to the now very concerned Wolfkit she dropped her nose and blew gentle air over her whiskers making the fluffed up kitten giggle. Twisting to give Claykit her own loving lick, the molly smiled gently.

“Im okay sweet-bird, keep going you’re doing so well!”

Claykit sniffed against her belly and Salmonblossom sunk more fully into her nest as the kit pressed her muzzle against her milk full belly. Wolfkit, for her part threw up more moss very much on purpose this time. “One day we’ll go home!” She finished boldly, tail sticking up straight above her back wide golden eyes shining with pride. Ratwhisker was all but grinding her teeth together in irritation behind them all but Salmonblossom didn’t need to fight to ignore her this time. Shining blue eyes narrowed lovingly down at her excitable little daughter.

“That’s right my dearest.” She cooed softly, lowering her voice for only the kittens at her belly. Lifting a paw she drew Wolfkit back against her and the kitten went happily nuzzling into Claykit’s side. “Someday we’ll be home again.”

Free to tell their stories again. Free to do what they had done for generations. Salmonblossom had always felt suffocated and ignored in Slateclan. Her stripes too obviously Cinderclan, her legs made for leaping and ducking roots not rocks, her eyes made for the dusky underside of trees not the wide open burning stone…

Someday.


	3. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No big tw for this chapter, as always let me know if you need anything added in here!

 

 

Fog curled around the tree roots as a dark shape raced over top of them. Paws and claws caught and shoved off of the bark under-paw all but flying over the forest floor. As close to the forest floor as she ever got, anyway. 

The smoky molly was born to run over the maze of roots, her short powerful legs and long thick tail made jumping in motion and landing just as neatly. Easier than breathing; this is what she was meant for!

High above the canopy, the sun sat heavy on the spine of the sky its bright light filtering warmly down through the leaves. Wolfwhisker was deeply enjoying the heat, even under the cooling touch of the shade-bearing leaves. 

Winter was never too far off- it’s biting teeth would take hold of the air and the leaves soon and strip the world barren once again. One had to enjoy summer while it was here and a warrior could be sure her clan’s bellies would be full and the kittens born would be strong enough to face the cruel cold times.

Wolfwhisker was broken from her thoughts by the slow petering out of the roots she ran along, jarring her slightly as her broad, pale paws hit dew damp dirt instead of warm living bark.  _Dear FogClan, I hate that feeling_ , the way hard packed ground felt against her pads. It reminded her of bad dreams, rocks caught between her toes and endless layers of shifting slate. 

The fog held a chill in the earth still, its cooling tendrils leaving dew in its wake to feed the earth as it reached about.  _FogClan is active today_ , Wolfwhisker thought wonderingly. It was odd for her ancestor’s paws to reach so far into the forest when the sun was this high.

Padding forward into the more open spattering of sunlight, Wolfwhisker looked around curiously. She hadn’t been paying as much attention as she perhaps should have been, rushing about the woods in her glee over the beautiful afternoon. Now, finding herself close to the border, she roped her attention back in. Ears pricked, the molly moved towards the soft trickling of the river, the opposite bank marking SlateClan’s border. 

It sounded muffled somehow and Wolfwhisker grimaced, hoping she wasn’t showing signs of white-cough. It always made her ears feel full of spider webs.

Rocks shifted underpaw as the young warrior padded all the way out of her leafy trees, the sunlight now pressing its full weight against her dark spine. Coat rippling in discomfort, Wolfwhisker increased her speed towards the merrily singing stream in front of her. Despite the dark slate piled all about the pebbled water and soaking in sunlight, it always managed to stay ice cold, and Wolfwhisker was very much looking forward to dunking her parched muzzle into it.

Being out from under the trees was uncomfortable and far too hot on her dark striped pelt, and the rock under her paws weren’t helping matters any as they ate up sunlight like greedy kittens with the first mouse of the morning.

Still, she couldn’t shake off an almost eerie feeling.

It shifted under her fur and she wondered if that was what was really making her so uncomfortable.  _Was that FogClan?_  Glancing down with tawny eyes she stared at the mist swirling around the rocks, it’s body laying heavy on the stone now that it was in the open under the sun. She watched it for a long second before turning back to the stream. 

Everything was fine.  _If FogClan is watching it can only be a good thing_ , Wolfwhisker thought firmly.

Leaning forward she paused upon catching her eyes in the river. She gasped. A different face looked up at her, blue eyes wide in shock. 

Wolfwhisker stared down in confusion at this reflection that was not herself. The not-her cat’s face was pale silver but their stripes were the same, dark and looping. CinderClan. Jaws parted, the stream cat started to speak, voice rippling with the water and dragging in Wolfwhisker’s spiderweb stuffed ears.

“Watch the forest,” It called, whispering through her own mouth. She could feel It’s voice pressing past her throat. It vibrated her soul that sat against the back of her tongue.  _Just like the elders always said_ , Wolfwhisker thought in awe. 

“Watch the forest, Wolfwhisker.”It’s blue eyes blinked slowly up at her and suddenly Wolfwhisker found that she may recognize this other cat. It was familiar. She could feel it in her throat, a deep realization she couldn’t sink her claws into like a chaffinch out of reach.

“Wolfwhisker.”

The image in the river shuddered the face darkening strangely. Patches forming across the muzzle; something hungry. Fur starting to stand up along her spine, Wolfwhisker staggered backwards.  _Those are burns, aren’t they? How is that possible? No one went into the fire’s territory anymore, it wasn’t allowed, Poplarstar would lose his whiskers! Those were burns-_

“Wolfwhisker!”

 

The world was ice cold when Wolfwhisker snapped awake, gasping so hard the air in front of her muzzle fogged up. 

Looking around wildly, she focused quickly on a massive shape huddled in the only source of light. It was just a dream, Wolfwhisker realized as she panted. She’d been sleeping in SlateClan’s warrior den. Where she was supposed to be. 

Sinking her claws into the moss underneath her the young warrior lifted her body slowly; squinting at the dark shadow looming in the starlit mouth of the den.  _Oh,_  it was Cavefoot. Ratwhisker’s mate.  _We… we’re on the dawn patrol, aren’t we? Oh twin stars…_

Cavefoot blinked at her, his eyes round and concerned, but Wolfwhisker shook her pelt out, hard.“I’m fine, just a dream!”She called quietly. Just a strange dream. She was grateful her stirring hadn’t woken Blizzardpelt. 

Wolfwhisker winced at the annoyed grumble her noise kicked up from her denmates before hurrying towards the large grey tabby. “Sorry Cavefoot,” She apologised, touching her muzzle against his chest in remorse as she slipped around him. Straight onto hard ground, the warrior hissed quietly with irritation as the cold stone woke her up.

The large senior warrior turned to squint after her, but Wolfwhisker was already bounding away towards the farthest scrub brush from the warrior den. The sun hadn’t quiet risen past the horizon yet, and as the summer ended the mornings became chilly.

Stone walls rose up on two sides of camp. The steep northern path out of camp was shrouded in early morning fog, but the south sloping exit was warming up and had already burned away the mist. Wolfwhisker felt uncomfortabe watching it whisper about as she walked.

_What had that been?_

Wolfwhisker was so lost in her thoughts she very nearly ran into the sharp edges of the apprentice den, and she jumped sharply backwards in response. This was why Strawberryfoot thought she was a shrew of a warrior, because she couldn’t even watch out for a bush! Let alone show manners to the apprentices sleeping inside the bush. 

Dropping to her belly, the sturdy dark pelted molly peered into the gloom. The new apprentices this moon were still working with kitten down, and they were all tucked so tightly together she could barely separate their brown and gray pelts.  _It isn’t even cold yet,_  Wolfwhisker winced, thinking back to her own time in the apprentice den. It hadn’t really been that long ago, only a pawful of moons.

“Sunpaw,” she called softly, tail tip twitching. The apprentice-shaped lump moved like a strange sleepy bear cub, and Wolfwhisker smiled slightly at the ruffled pelts and grumbled whines as a single form slowly lifted his honey colored head. 

“Sunpaw,” Wolfwhisker purred, blinking kindly at the young apprentice when he turned to look at her. Under the pale halfmoon light the young tom looked almost tawny, his amber eyes gleaming a reflective green. He bubbled a greeting at her unthinkingly, wincing when an irate gray paw reached out to shove him.

“Sunpaw, this is our first dawn patrol and neither of us can wake up!”

That got the tom’s attention. He scrambled upright as carefully as excited apprentice paws could do and crawled out to meet his mentor, his enthusiasm waking up with the rest of him. Trust an eight moon old apprentice to get this riled up about wandering around on ice cold stone for the majority of the morning. “Sorry, Wolfwhisker.”

A laugh rumbled behind Wolfwhisker and she looked over her shoulder with a guilty expression, unable to help herself. Snakeheart stood beside Cavefoot now, and her father’s amber eyes narrowed with laughter. “Are you just going to let your poor apprentice fret, sweet-bird?” He asked the joke in his tone, rolling what she thought was supposed to be a stern voice into a playful purr.

“I was about to-”

“Oh leave the poor warrior alone Snakeheart she still woke up before the apprentices,” Cavefoot defended her, touching his muzzle to Wolfwhisker’s shoulder as he ducked down to call out to his own apprentice, Stormpaw- who also happened to be his daughter. Snakeheart openly laughed at that, his dark shoulders rising and falling with the force of his purr. 

Feeling heat beside her Wolfwhisker turned her head to look at Sunpaw as he sat down close beside her, fur ruffled up in the cold now that the embarrassment of being poked fun of by a senior warrior was cooling out of his ears.

Smiling, Wolfwhisker gave the tom a quick lick over the ears before standing up. “Sunpaw was up before the others, and he didn’t even complain.” She offered, tone proud as could be. Sunpaw puffed up with the praise, ducking his head to groom his chest and lay the fluffed fur back in place. Snakeheart nodded knowingly as he ambled after Cavefoot.

Sunpaw’s littermates were already staggering out from their warm nests. Cavefoot sat beside the older warrior, blinking in the early morning chill as he watched the apprentices all huddle around Wolfwhisker’s side. Mother always told her that CinderClan cats had inherited the fire’s heat, and while she wasn’t so sure about that, the apprentices definitely appreciated the dark molly’s warm skin. It may also have something to do with the fact that apprentices always flocked around any cat that would let them steal their body heat.

Stagpaw yawned massively, but she clenched her teeth in an effort to hide it. Snakeheart for his part flicked his apprentice gently with a tail tip before moving past her. Wolfwhisker would never forget her own apprentice days.

She was lucky that, unlike these littermates, she and Claynose had been born in spring and avoided the longer wait until apprenticeship for winter kittens. Of course it meant that Sunpaw, Stormpaw, and Stagpaw were all large enough now at eight moons to brave the snows when it began to pile up… but it had also meant that their mother had been even more irritating than usual thanks to her self-imposed prison sentence in the nursery.

Not that she wasn’t glad to have her first apprentice, but Wolfwhisker couldn’t help the ripple of annoyed concern that flowed down her spine. What sort of queen had kits that would only have a moon cycle before their first apprentice snow? Ratwhisker that was who.

Wolfwhisker’s brother, Chubpaw, was also in the apprentices den, but he was nearly twelve moons himself and ready for his warrior name. No one could ever say Ratwhisker planned anything, not like Salmonblossom. To be fair Wolfwhisker may just dislike the molly in general but the point still stood. It was  _dangerous_ to send apprentices into their new den with winter preparing to close its claws around the valley clans.

“Stop thinking and start walking, Wolfwhisker!"

Snakeheart’s loud chipper meow broke the younger warrior out of her anxious internal ramblings, and Wolfwhisker swung her head towards her father guiltily. He was watching her with gentle eyes but a firm expression on his face. Wolfwhisker recognized that look in a heartbeat. 

All stuck up in her head again. She felt anger at herself now. Mother always told her she was too stuck in her head. It was like some terrible kitten story.  _‘If you stick in your head too much you’ll get stuck between your ears!’_

A gentle rumbling next to her ear caught the dark warriors attention and she turned her amber eyes on Sunpaw’s wide excited face. Smiling openly at the young cat, Wolfwhisker did her best to shake the discomfort and uncertainty out of her mind. Standing up and ignoring Stormpaw’s unhappy meow the large molly stretched herself out as best as she could in the slightly cramped apprentice filled space she had. 

Careful to part her jaws and let her stress out of her throat in the exhaled fog, Wolfwhisker stood back up to make after her father’s retreating form as he padded off. How the tom always managed to look so completely carefree was well beyond Wolfwhisker, who’d once cried as an apprentice over it raining for three days in a row, and was only soothed by playing in mud puddles at Snakeheart and Blizzardpelt’s prompting. 

But she knew the lesson Snakeheart was teaching now. It was the senior warriors who made sure the younger mentors knew what to do with their charges. Wolfwhisker didn’t know how it worked in the other clans but SlateClan took a very clanwide approach to their apprentices. She was Sunpaw’s main mentor, but Wolfwhisker’s old mentor, Cavefoot, would also be teaching him. Snakeheart would do his part too. The three of them worked closely together to give these apprentices the very best SlateClan had to give. After all, they were the very future of the clan, and as Poplarstar constantly said: the greatest gift FogClan had to give were lessons in the form of kittens.

So she would do as Snakeheart gently reminded her and get out of her own spider-web stuffed ears and show Sunpaw around SlateClan territory on his very first dawn patrol. The trio of warriors had already fallen into a comfortable rhythm in the last week of this litter’s apprenticeship and Wolfwhisker was more than happy to let her tired brain sink into the safety of it. She would stick to the back of the group in case there was any black ice on the rock and to use the hearing that gave her her hunting skills to make sure there weren't any autumn predators. 

Cavefoot would lead the way as the largest strongest mentor so if there was ice he would be the one to either warn everyone or go sliding down the hill, which Wolfwhisker imagined was a better warning. Snakeheart, who never grew tired of talking, would stick in the center with the apprentices and explain. For the most part.

Cavefoot had already assumed his place at the front, his great sweeping tail droopingto make sure he had balance as he padded towards the sloping north entrance. Snakeheart followed, the apprentices mostly awake now and bouncing around his dark body in a mishmash of browns and tawny's. Wolfwhisker moved along behind, blinking slowly as the morning fog reached for her legs. 

A shiver ran up her spine at the contact, but she was sure it had little to do with the cold. It felt as if someone was trying to stop her or get her attention with little ripples of contact against her haunches, even as she moved a bit faster to try and escape the sensation.

What had that not-her face in the river said?  _Watch the forest? What does that even mean? There isn’t any forest in SlateClan territory_ , Wolfwhisker thought, glancing pointedly at the fog as she hurried forward. A thought came to the forefront of her mind and Wolfwhisker felt the warmth in her veins go cold. They’d have to go past PineClan territory though, and there were plenty of woods there. Was something going to happen? Was that a prophecy? 

_Should she tell Snakeheart? Or Swiftnose..._  Wolfwhisker tail tip flicked rapidly along the slate behind her worriedly as she climbed the rocky path behind the others.  _No… it had to be nothing. Just a dream, right?_  FogClan didn’t send omens to lesser warriors.  _Especially not green warriors who’s deputy thought they were a waste of space._

Okay, so maybe Strawberryfoot wasn’t that bad, but that’s how it felt sometimes.

Sunpaw glanced back at her and Wolfwhisker everything she could to wipe the worry off of her muzzle, offering the apprentice a warm smile. Encouragement. This would be a long patrol for three new apprentices even if they were older than summer apprentices. Wolfwhisker was here because Poplarstar believed she could teach this apprentice to be the best warrior he could be. His confidence in her had gotten her excited for the moons to come.

Shaking off her worries and fears, Wolfwhisker focused firmly on her throat, pushing the fear out of her heart.  _Fog clings to everything it touches_ , Wolfwhisker reasoned,  _not just me._  She hooked her paw pads carefully against the lip of stone at the top of the trail out of camp. The trio of apprentices stood pressed up against Cavefoot’s broad grey haunches, and Wolfwhisker squinted over her father’s shorter head to look at the rising sun in front of the five of them. It would rise and the fog would burn away, and with it Wolfwhisker’s anxiety would go.

Nothing would happen on the Pineclan border and she would stay out of her stupid cobweb head and train Sunpaw how to properly move around SlateClan’s dangerous slippery territory. And she wouldn’t even freak out if the fog was swirling just a little strangely at the edges of her vision.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw for burns

 

 

Stagpaw and Stormpaw were doing perfectly, Wolfwhisker noted with surprise. Sunpaw for his part was trying very hard to not admit how badly his haunches ached by now, but he was the smallest of the trio. Black ice had been thankfully absent thanks in part to the sun rising so swiftly in the early autumn sky. Wolfwhisker herself spent the first part of the patrol resolutely blocking out Snakeheart’s loud bright voice to show the apprentices how to walk properly on the icy slate.

It was a very particular skill and she remembered how poorly she had done on her own first dawn patrol. Then again her paws were large and tightly built and very much unlike these apprentice’s wide powerful paws. Cinderclan blood had a way of filtering to the surface in many very annoying ways, like not being able to climb rocks right until you were almost ten moons old or catching a bird by leaping for it and being told off for not being stealthy enough.

Cavefoot had thought her leap was very nice, Wolfwhisker thought impishly, watching Sunpaw follow her directions to the letter with a flare of pride. It was Strawberryfoot leading Wolfwhisker’s sister, Claynose, who had been so irritable. It wasn’t the Slateclan way and so forth. That was fine, Wolfwhisker reasoned. She would make Sunpaw the best warrior Slateclan had ever had and then Strawberryfoot could stuff her mouth with all the feathers on the mountain.

Snakeheart’s voice boomed from the center of the group as he walked, wholey unconcerned by the precariousness of the slate on all sides. It had a good effect on the apprentices though. Not a single one even twitched when the slate shifted and slid they just kept going and held their paws the right way. Confidence was a blessing, Cavefoot insisted, even if Wolfwhisker was absolutely terrified one of these winter apprentices would go skidding into a cravese before the snow even fell.

“Now! Stagpaw tell me the best way to cross a shallow crack!” Snakeheart called, twisting his head to look back at the largest of the trio of apprentices. Cavefoot had stopped moving at the front, his tail lifted comfortably now that the ice wasn’t a worry and everyone came to a slow halt behind him. Stagpaw, who had been watching her paws intently snapped to attention, her jaws parted before she slowly closed them. Wolfwhisker felt guilty, but kept her own tongue still. Snakeheart was terrible at remembering what had already been taught. She didn’t think anyone had mentioned anything about crack jumping.

Stormpaw piped up to save her sister, the other looking at her with desperate thanks. “ Find the least shifty place?”

Snakeheart puffed up with glee his long tail sticking straight up over his back. “Correct! But first we have to make sure it’s the least shifty on the other side too!” All three apprentices stared at the dark tom and his wide blown golden eyes blankly for a long moment before all eyes turned to Wolfwhisker herself. Cavefoot wasn’t about to help, he thought Snakeheart’s methods were wonderful. Wolfwhisker disagreed. Wolfwhisker found him confusing at best and impossible to follow at worse which is why she jumped in to save Stormpaw.  
“And how do you think we check the other side?” She offered, eyeing her father when he turned to look across the small gap. Stormpaw made a low thoughtful voice in the back of her throat.

“By the pile?” She said slowly, staring at the back of Snakeheart’s head like it would offer her a better answer.

“Very good Stormpaw” Cavefoot purred, eyes narrowed with pride with a quick glance behind him at his gaggle of kittens.All three apprentices stood up on their toes in response, excited to make their father happy. Wolfwhisker herself sat down, ignoring the cold stone under her haunches as she curled her tail around her paws. Fogclan only knew how long they would be here with Snakeheart and Cavefoot arguing about how was best to show the apprentices how to do something.

Sunpaw plopped down next to the dark molly, looking up at her questioningly and Wolfwhisker looked down at him with the same expression. Actually… Ducking down the molly pressed her muzzle close to Sunpaw’s golden ear. “If the pieces under are darker its safer, do you know why?”

As she expected Snakeheart was saying they should just send the apprentices over and Cavefoot was arguing in horror for the safety of his kits or maybe to avoid the wrath of Ratwhisker.

Sunpaw looked up at her, his face screwed up in thought for a second before his ears flicked sharply forward. “Because the wind hasn’t been clawing at them?” Pride flooded Wolfwhisker’s throat and she purred brightly at the little tom. Soundlessly she lifted one paw and tapped his shoulder. There was a perfectly safe crossing right to Cavefoot’s left and she nodded towards it. The gap was honestly very small and she knew Sunpaw wouldn’t have any issues with it. He was just small enough to not be able to simply step over it. Of course if he messed up he would face a fall into Slateclan’s extensive cave system but-

Golden fur rushed straight passed her and Wolfwhisker quietly begged fogclan for their forgiveness if this headstrong kit fell into a tiny opening and dropped to his death because she was a mouse-brained fool. Sunpaw, completely unaware of her fears hopped straight onto the good spot, the slate shifting but not falling as it was supported fully by the uninjured rock under it. Amber eyes bored into her and Wolfwhisker resolutely refused to make eye contact with Cavefoot as she focused on Sunpaw’s excitement as he spun around to crow back at his siblings.

“Right” Cavefoot meowed, sounding strained. She was really in for it when they got home, Wolfwhisker thought meekly, purring for Sunpaw’s confident strut away from his landing spot. “Over the rest of you go then, as Sunpaw did onto the rocks with the darker bottoms.”  
Once the patrol had made their way over the crack Snakeheart went right back to his explanations going on and on about Slateclan territory and the proper way to walk and think and move. Proper ways for everything, Wolfwhisker thought wincing for all the memories of mucking up the right way so many times during her own apprenticeship. These three were in for some stubbed paws and torn claws along the way. No one made it through their apprenticeship without one trip to Swiftnose to have a torn claw pulled off.

Lost in her thoughts Wolfwhisker added little to the patrol as they made their way along the rocky border along the higher non-cat friendly part of the mountain. Her ears stayed pricked, swiveling carefully to make sure nothing was amiss despite her distraction. Last year they had lost two winter apprentices to lynx right at this spot. Maybe that’s why Poplarstar had made Wolfwhisker a mentor for the winter apprentices. Nothing snuck up on her.

Cats startled her sometime but even Wolfwhisker’s most stringent enemies in the clan admitted that she had some of the best ears in the clan. It was even part of her warrior ceremony, she thought fondly. Poplarstar told her he would trust her to warn the clan before any threat got within a wolf’s length of their camp.

Cavefoot rumbled something from the front, and Wolfwhisker flicked her ears towards him for a moment before going back to her duty as the rear patrol member. They would be nearing Pineclan soon; the thought struck more uncertainty in Wolfwhisker’s heart than she would have liked.

Watch the forest…

Surely it was just a dream? The image of that silver molly staring back at her shivered behind Wolfwhisker’s eyelids when she blinked. Burns cut across the pretty molly’s muzzle and her blue eyes had gone so very dark. Fogclan wouldn’t waste an omen on some young warrior, Wolfwhisker reasoned, though it didn’t help her anxiety much. No fog reached this far out onto the rock anyway so it wasn’t much to worry about-

Something tugged softly at Wolfwhisker’s tail tip and the molly went completely and absolutely still. The patol kept moving towards the rapidly nearing pine trees, unaware of Wolfwhisker’s sudden halt. Paws clenched into the ground, Wolfwhisker noted weakly that dirt was starting to break through the rock.

A ghost of wind brushed slowly up her side and despite the terror locking her legs in place Wolfwhisker was strangely brought back to old memories of her mother’s soft milk belly and the brush of a warm muzzle. Whispering carried around her like shallow water over stones. Someone trying to be heard in a blizzard… The touch paused at her shoulder and Wolfwhisker went icy cold at the feeling of warm breath against the side of her neck.

Of all the echoing noises in her ears the molly was able to pick out a single high tone though it still had the effect of sunflies in the spring meadows. “Forest” It said, breathing almost against her throat. “The forest-”

Fear seizing fully the dark molly swallowed every bit of resolution she had and bolted. She didn’t look, she couldn’t. You weren’t supposed to look at ghosts they would take you into the snows and you wouldn’t come back. It had to be a ghost. It had to be. Fogclan didn’t talk to weak childish warriors.

The patrol was down the hill and she only caught sight of them when she came to a screeching halt over the dirt topped mound. A series of shocked eyes looked up at her and Wolfwhisker carefully forced her coat to lay flat. She must look like a partridge about to be snatch off the rocky earth and that wasn’t exactly the impression she wanted to make on yet another deputy.

Embertail stood just over the border, his deep ginger coat clear and defining. The Pineclan deputy was broad and handsome but not nearly as large as some of his clanmates could be. Two other cats stood behind him, their faces much more friendly than Embertail’s carefully neutral expression. Wolfwhisker felt her fear flow out of her veins as her face lit up in response.

“Good morning to you, Wolfwhisker” A thin but tall cat called up to her. Wolfwhisker purred in response, making up for her crazed rush up the hill by trotting slowly down to stand next to Snakeheart’s exuberance. She hadn’t seen Ravenose since three gatherings ago, they looked stronger then when she had last seen them. Bearcloud on the other paw was just as massive as he had ever been. Both cats purred back at her and even Embertail offered her a warm greeting. Though, to be fair, two of them were Cinderclan blood and Embertail’s job was literally to be nice in an effort to temper Riverstar.

That was Salmonblossom’s idea anyway, Wolfwhisker didn’t think anything just tempered Riverstar.

“How are Applestripe’s kits doing?” Snakeheart asked brightly, not noticing Cavefoot’s sidelong glance. It wasn’t appropriate to be talking like this on the border, Wolfwhisker thought quietly. But these were their kin, surely those laws weren’t so strict for this? Ravennose puffed up proudly in response, Applestripe was their aunt after all.

“A pawful as all kits are.” They chuckled settling down on their haunches in the light dusting of pine needles that had reached out beyond the forest’s edge some tail lengths behind them. Bearcloud started to sit beside them, but Embertail cleared his throat and the large tom raised back to his paws in a moment. Ravennose ignored their deputy, tail flicking idly behind them. “And Chubpaw is doing well in his apprenticeship?”

Wolfwhisker glanced at Cavefoot, noting the tom was growing more and more irritated. Throwing a quick look over the border she made eye contact with Bearcloud who frowned quietly back at her. No one cared when they talked at gatherings Wolfwhisker thought bitterly, throwing an irritated glance at the poliet discomfort on Embertail’s face. No one was over the border and these were her kin, what was everyone’s problem?

Snakeheart opened his mouth to respond but Cavefoot cut him off sharply. “We have a dawn patrol to finish, in case you’d forgotten.” Snakeheart and all three apprentices looked at him in surprise. Irritation rumpled the tom’s striped coat, and Wolfwhisker made a low grumble in the back of her throat looking sharply away when Cavefoot’s glare landed on her. Ravennose deflated on the other side of the border, their tail flicking unhappily as they stood back up and casted a look towards Bearcloud.

“Oh of course… We’ll see you at the next gathering?”

Cavefoot was already leading the way away grumbling under his breath as his two daughters followed him uncertainty. Snakeheart nodded to the black Pineclan warrior. “Of course you will.” The dark tom cast a look towards Embertail, who was watching Cavefoot stalk off with some concern in the turn of his mouth. “Be careful Ravennose.” Snakeheart added in a much lower voice, using Embertail’s distraction.

Wolfwhisker winced at the implication and Ravennose looked pained in response. These cat’s leader was not forgiving of their heritage, or their effort to stay connect to their family. Pineclan was well known for being aggressive but Riverstar’s leadership had turned a cold glare onto those of Cinderclan descent in recent moons. Nodding to the three cats Snakeheart turned and followed Cavefoot’s tail as it vanished around a pile of slate and Wolfwhisker watched him go for a long second before looking back to the three Pineclan cats.

Embertail’s green eyes were locked on her and he had a strange look on his face. The molly felt the fur on her spine raise in discomfort. “You’re Salmonblossom’s daughter aren’t you?” he asked, head tilting slightly. “I thought you were brown?” Heat raised under Wolfwhisker’s pelt and she winced sharply. Ravennose made a sharp huffing noise, their eyes boring into Embertail unforgivingly.

“Salmonblossom has two daughters” They said sharply and Wolfwhisker sent as much affection as she could into the look she cast the feisty warrior. Embertail for his part looked embarrassed. Wolfwhisker knew quite well that everyone had a certain immediate thought upon meeting her but she would always be grateful for cats like Ravennose who rectified the issue immediately.

“My apologies” Embertail offered, awkward for a moment before he shook himself off. “It may be best to take your apprentice and find your patrol.” He added, glancing towards Sunpaw who hadn’t left Wolfwhisker’s side. Glancing down at the little tom Wolfwhisker was surprised to find him glaring up at Embertail. Sunpaw, she thought softly, would be the most loyal honorable warrior Slateclan had ever seen.

“Yes…” She agreed, still watching Sunpaw. “Goodbye Ravennose, Bearcloud.” Wolfwhisker turned at her farewell, waiting long enough for Sunpaw to leap to his feet before charging off. There were no large cracks or gorges between here and camp so it was perfectly safe to run now. Sunpaw could use the stretch anyway, and if she was running... maybe that voice couldn’t catch her.

It didn’t take very long to catch sight of the other four cats making the run back to camp, though they never quite caught up. Wolfwhisker was slowing carefully to make up for Sunpaw’s shorted legs and it kept them a ways back. By the time they reached the sloping entrance her breath billowed heavily into the air and Sunpaw himself scrambled across the rock, gasping for air though he wasn’t about to give way to his tiredness.

Panting, Wolfwhisker shooed him off to his den. They would practice hunting later in the afternoon after the young apprentice had a chance to rest, she decided as she watched his golden pelt vanish under the apprentice’s bush. Caught up in plans and the strangeness of the day she almost didn’t notice the sharp hiss. She very well did notice the meek warble her uncle let out in response.

Perking up out of her thoughts the warrior looked around until she found Falcontail seated outside the nursery, his large brown shoulders slumped. Mother was smaller than him and when she was a kit Wolfwhisker had always thought Falcontail was the biggest Cinderclan cat to live. Of course then she met Bearcloud and that changed but the idea of her powerful honorable uncle never left her heart. Seeing him all hunched up in front of the thorny barricade protecting the Slateclan nursery made her throat cold with grief.

Thunderheart must be being cruel to him again. Wolfwhisker bristled at the thought. She didn’t understand why he loved that cold molly so much. All she cared about was her goals. Falcontail loved her deeply, Wolfwhisker could see that much but it made her sick to her stomach to think Thunderfoot may just be using her uncle. Turning her paws Wolfwhisker started in that direction before a warm muzzle pressed suddenly to the side of her neck.

Jumping almost out of her skin, thoughts flashing violently back to the fear on the slate it took Wolfwhisker a moment before warm laughter filtered into her ears. Looking back wildly wide golden eyes met playful yellow ones and Wolfwhisker immediately wailed in response. “Blizzardpelt!” The white molly showed no remorse, laughter bubbling brightly out of her as her eyes closed with the force of it.

Wolfwhisker quickly forgot her fear and frustrations, love flooding her throat so thickly it was almost choking. Blizzardpelt was the best thing that had ever happened to her, no matter what. This is what Falcontail deserved, and the thought beat Wolfwhisker back into frustration. Blizzardpelt reached forward again, pressing her snowy white muzzle against Wolfwhisker’s dark cheek.

“Has something happened?” Her tone was immediately empathetic, like it always was. Blizzardpelt was a gift and Wolfwhisker was certain the small limber molly had been meant for medicine cat duties. Not that her mate would ever agree with such a thing; too much energy in her paws to spend the time Swiftnose spent in camp.

Wolfwhisker shook herself off, easily giving into the warmth of the other molly’s side. “I don’t know” She told Blizzardpelt honestly. “There’s just so much building up right now” Blizzardpelt blinked up at her, her expression darkening with her own irritation. She probably thought this was about Strawberryfoot again, Wolfwhisker thought her heart touched by Blizzardpelt’s protective flash of anger.

“Well come on then, you were on the dawn patrol so even Strawberryfoot can’t say a word if you rest now” Blizzardpelt went on already walking away and urging Wolfwhisker after her. Wolfwhisker didn’t need to be urged to follow after the white molly, watching affectionately as her grey ears flicked around in irritation. “You can tell me what’s been happening.” The pale molly added, slowing so she could walk next to Wolfwhisker towards the warmer sunlit side of camp.

Oh perfect! Wolfwhisker could tell Blizzardpelt about her strange dream and the ghost and Blizzardpelt would tell her she was just being silly and everything would be ok again. Plus Blizzardpelt was in camp on guard all day so she would know what terrible thing Thunderheart had said to Falcontail.

Nothing happened in camp that Blizzardpelt didn’t know about.

All that aside what Wolfwhisker really wanted was to curl around the smaller warrior and just hold her for a little while. Normally she had the chance to wake up and cuddle before their duties began but dawn patrols always had to ruin their routine. That was fine, they would share tongues and stories now and renew the connection Fogclan had given them Wolfwhisker thought happily giving the molly at her side a light tap with her muzzle.

Everything would be fine.


End file.
